Thorpedo Anna to face four rivals in Coaching Club American Oaks
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Thorpedo Anna, winner of the Kentucky Oaks and Acorn Stakes already this year, on Sunday drew post 3 in a field of five entered for Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at 1 1/8 miles.
Thorpedo Anna will take on the Todd Pletcher-trained pair of Candied, a Grade 1-winning filly at 2, and Leslie’s Rose, the Grade 1 Ashland winner who finished second to Thorpedo Anna in the Acorn. Intricate, the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes winner at 2 and runner-up in two of three stakes this year, and Barbratina complete the field.
Brian Hernandez Jr., the regular rider of Thorpedo Anna, got reacquainted with the filly Saturday, guiding her through a five-furlong workout in 1:01.12 over the Oklahoma training track. Thorpedo Anna worked in company with Ohio Derby runner-up Gould’s Gold, who was ridden by Danny Ramsey. Gould’s Gold is a candidate for the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy on July 27.
Leaving the five-furlong pole, the pair broke off slow, going an opening eighth in 13.90 seconds, before picking it up from there. They went the quarter in 25.55 seconds, three furlongs in 37.00, and came home in 24.12 seconds. The pair galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.47 and seven-eighths in 1:28.60.
“We got them to break off reasonably slow. From there she drug me around there the whole way and galloped out well,” Hernandez said. “Danny was a little in front of me and I was tracking her and we got to the pole a little on the slow side. From there she went on and did her thing and worked well.
“She was aggressive and kind of her normal self where she’s dominant and wanting to show her dominance,” Hernandez added.
Leslie’s Rose on Saturday worked a half-mile by herself in 48.70 seconds. Candied went a half-mile in 49.66 seconds in company with Manama Gold, who is going to try turf for the first time in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Lake George Stakes.
◗ The New York Racing Association and Moonee Valley Racing Club on Monday announced that the winner of the Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby on Aug. 3, will earn an automatic berth into the Cox Plate on Oct. 26 in Melbourne, with an offer of generous subsidies for transportation and accommodations.
In 2021, State of Rest, trained by Joseph O’Brien, won both races.
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